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Town mourns after volleyball coach killed in crash

A tight-knit community was grieving Wednesday after the death of a coach and business owner.

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Updated: 6:27 PM CDT Jul 17, 2013

Town mourns after volleyball coach killed in crash

A tight-knit community was grieving Wednesday after the death of a coach and business owner.

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Updated: 6:27 PM CDT Jul 17, 2013

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WEBVTT A TIGHT-KNIT COMMUNITY GRIEVES TONIGHT.. OVER THE DEATH OF A BELOVED COACH AND BUSINESS CHAD VAN HOUTEN DIED IN A HEAD-ON CRASH ON HIS WAY HOME FROM WORK TUESDAY.. JUST OUTSIDE SHENANDOAH IOWA. TONIGHT PEOPLE WHO LOVED HIM ARE REMEMBERING HIS GENEROSITY AND HIS IMPACT ON SO MANY LIVES. K-E-T-V NEWSWATCH 7'S CAROL WANG IS LIVE IN THE NEWSPLEX WITH THAT STORY.. THIS WAS A MAN WHO HIRED HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS TO WORK IN HIS MAIN STREET DRUG STORE...WHO NEIGHBORS SAY ALWAYS PITCHED IN WHEN HELP WAS NEEDED. NOW... WHILE IOWA STATE PATROL CONTINUES INVESTIGATING THE CRASH...HIS TOWN TRIES TO FIND COMFORT. (BREANNA ALLELY: When i was first told I just kind of sat there I just kept repeating his name because I didn't believe it Chad? Chad Van Houten? ) DISBELIEF AND A SENSE OF OVERWHELMING LOSS COLORS THIS SUMMER DAY IN SHENANDOAH...AS PEOPLE MOURN CHAD VAN HOUTEN'S DEATH. (BREANNA ALLELY: it's a lot to take in ) NEWS SPREAD QUICKLY ABOUT THE HEAD-ON CRASH AT THE TOP OF A HILL JUST OUTSIDE TOWN TUESDAY AFTERNOON. VAN HOUTEN WAS COMING HOME FROM HIS JOB AS A PRISON GUARD AT CLARINDA...AND PREPARING FOR HIS HIGH SCHOOL VOLLEYBALL TEAM'S SCRIMMAGE THAT EVENING.(JEFF HISER:it's hard for me to realize that he's not going to walk through that gym door in a few minutes or that he's not going to be with us any longer,but while he was here, he left his mark 610 ) THE SCHOOL IS OFFERING GRIEF COUNSELING...AS WELL AS ANY ASSISTANCE...VAN HOUTEN'S FAMILY NEEDS. STAFF MEMBERS ADMIT, THEY'RE HURTING TOO.(JEFF HISER: he's going to be missed...a lot.") BREANNA AL-ILY PLAYED FOR COACH VAN HOUTEN HER ENTIRE HIGH SCHOOL CAREER...AND WORKED AT HIS DRUGSTORE'S SODA FOUNTAIN. SHE CLINGS TO THE MEMORIES OF HAPPY TIMES. (BREANNA ALLELY: he always put a smile on everyone's face even when he realized he wasn't doing it ) AND LIFE LESSONS LEFT BEHIND. (BREANNA ALLELY: to try your best in everything that you do and that life is short sometimes so you gotta do what's best for you 2734) ANNIE--CHAD'S WIDOW--WAS NOT UP TO TALKING, BUT WANTED TO THANK EVERYONE FOR THE OUTPOURING OF LOVE AND SUPPORT. STATE TROOPERS ARE NOT SAYING AT THIS POINT WHAT CAUSED THE CRASH. WE DO KNOW EVERYONE INVOLVED WAS WEARING A SEATBELT...AND THE MAN IN THE OTHER VEHICLE IS OUT OF THE HOSPITAL TONIGHT. LIVE IN THE NEWSPLEX, CAROL WANG K-E-T-V NEWSWATCH 7.

Town mourns after volleyball coach killed in crash

A tight-knit community was grieving Wednesday after the death of a coach and business owner.